Third Rock from the Son

One of the chief underpinnings of the Catholic way of understanding life is the fact that stuff both matters and is inherently related to other stuff -- relevance and interconnectivity. The things we think, say, and do, as well as the things we use, all matter. Also, our actions can never be consequence free: good works allow us to accrue grace and nourish our souls, while sin pollutes the sinner and those surrounding him (cf, the Garden of Eden). Because we're all members of the same human race created by God, we share bonds that are deeply impacted by our actions.

Like many truths, this one is occassionally reflected in some aspect of popular culture by people who haven't articulated the theological precept at work. In this case, the unwitting exemplar is the Joe Diffie song "Third Rock from the Sun." If you know country music, you'll recognize it as a catchy tune that was highly popular about 10 years ago. But even if you detest country music, you should take it as a prime example of the necessity of finding God -- and the wonders of Truth -- in even the most mundane (or, if you prefer, distasteful) things in life.


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